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The stone cathedral at Vladivostok was never completed because of
the Communist persecution. The Czech Army, part of the interventionary
force trying to halt the sweep of the Communists, was the last group
to try to complete the church. Work halted in 1922, leaving the building
without bell towers.
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| Cathedral as it
currently appears.
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Artist's
rendition of cathedral drawn from original architectural plans. |
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Front view of the cathedral with construction of the bell
towers. March, 2008
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Construction begins! Bricks are laid for the
foundation of both bell tower bases. March, 2008
The cathedral already has the bells to be placed in the
bell towers. The bells are a gift from the Siberian Society of Poland,
a group that exists in many countries to which Poles fled after
escaping from Communist Siberia. The Society produces and sends church
bells to Russia to celebrate the new freedom of the Church.
Vladivostok has received four bells courtesy of the Society. The
bells are named St. Mary, St. Gabriel, St. Joseph, and St. Raphael
Kalinovsky. (St. Raphael is a newly canonized Polish saint who lived
for many years in Siberia.)
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Two of four bells donated to
Vladivostok cathedral. They wait in church vestibule until funds
can be raised to build bell
towers. |
The bells were blessed by the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II,
during his visit to Poland in June 1999. To learn more about the
bells, please see the
November
2000 issue of the Vladivostok Sunrise.
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